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Over many years, the descendants of James Garfield spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” reflects one of his family members. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now resulted in a streaming series titled the presidential series, starring Michael Shannon as the president and his co-star as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His time in office was truncated after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an event now mostly overlooked while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and how he was and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against human bondage and advanced to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the period. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was elected to the Congress, where he would work as a Republican for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the negative aspect of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a background of professional failures, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had failed as a attorney, bill collector, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the drama of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law